Ramen Gojiro – MONSTER Ramen
Ramen Gojiro is a newly opened ramen shop located on Dunsmuir within walking distance of Pacific Centre mall. I first knew about this when I saw the huge bowls of towering ramen on Instagram, and decided I have to check it out with Queen B during our lunch hour. Since we worked close by, it was a quick and easy lunch stop!
Right now this place is all the hype so I would recommend coming right when they open (11am). We came at 11:10am and there were only two tables occupied. By the time we left at 11:45am, the restaurant was almost completely full. I heard lineups can get up to 20 people deep near noon time so beware!
Ramen Gojiro is owned by the same group as Ramen Butcher in Chinatown. They do something unique with the meat here in that you get to choose from Karaage (Fried Chicken) or regular Chashu (Roasted Pork). Also, they serve ginormous monster portions (see Bakamori) so if you’re hungry, this is where you should be.
Both Queen B and I got varying levels of the ‘Spicy’ ramen and we both would highly recommend it. Most of the spice comes from chili oil, fresh chopped chili, and chili powder so it brought a lot of tremendous flavour to the dish. Do note, it can get quite oily because of the chili oil so if are health conscious it might be a good idea to skip it.
Queen B got the Basic Spicy Cha Shu Ramen ($10.25) in Atomic Spicy (highest spice level) and while I thought it was sweating-balls-spicy, it was nothing for her. She probably could’ve and most likely will in the future ask for extra fresh chilis on the side.
The fried chicken skin looking thing on the top is actually a very pungent rich garlic paste. That garlic paste was friggin fantastic. It brought so much dimension to the broth but will make you want to shut your mouth for the rest of the day if you don’t have a mint on you.
I got the Basic Spicy Karaage Ramen ($10.25) with fried chicken on the side (didn’t want it to get soggy in the soup). What I particularly liked about this restaurant is the chewy thick noodles. It’s definitely the thickest I’ve ever had (that’s what she said) but I really enjoyed the bounce and chew of each bite. I could’ve done with less bean sprouts and perhaps more variety in the veggies or even have the basic ramen include half an egg, but that’s just my personal preference.
When I say it’s a monster ramen, I’m not kidding. I’m usually an endless pit but I was so full I had to stop here! Walking back to work too, both of us felt a layer of oil around our throat so it definitely is a food-coma inducing meal.
Overall, both of us had a really good time here and we will most definitely return. It’s not the best ramen in Vancouver (it’s hard to take that spot) but it’s up there in my Top 10! It’s close to a skytrain station, it’s mega filling, the broth is flavourful, what more can I ask for?
Service Rating: 4/5
Food Rating: 4/5
Price: $$
Overall Rating: 4/5
Happy Eating!
